Home Sweet Homework

Nothing quite tests newly refreshed patience like returning home to big school projects due this week! Next week our children will celebrate their school's annual International Day. Each class has a country they have been studying. Because my children are in three separate classes, I am learning a lot about Ethiopia, Sweden AND Spain simultaneously.

K & P were each assigned a topic for a parent/student poster project. Because we have been gone for 5 days and have church tomorrow night, this afternoon was our time frame for getting it done.Daddy was very busy with his re-entry to work, so but for a brief 10 minute window, I single-handedly led my troops through research, printing, cutting, gluing, writing and design over a two and a half hour period.

K's poster was a bit easier because her assignment was family life in Ethiopia and we have been corresponding with Tewodros in Ethiopia for 3 years through Compassion. More importantly, K loves to write and draw and create. She has a good attitude and a great sense of design. She enjoyed her work.

P, on the other hand, was assigned "Ancient Rune Stones/The Runic Alphabet" from the Viking period. He also reminded me at least 15 times that "I don't like to write." He did a lot more cutting and pasting. It took a long time, but mercifully, there were no tears from either of us (unlike when we wrote Christmas thank you notes.)

Although R basically had run of the house/free play while we worked, he likes to stay near the pack. I never fully understood the extent of his loyalty until this afternoon when he decided to forgo independent play to stay in the kitchen with us and (although not assigned) make a poster too. Since he was not assigned a project, he just drew his favorite things about Spain--the costumes and the soccer.


His is not nearly as put together as the others, but he did it all himself (but for printing the pictures.) There certainly are times when peer pressure works in our favor! I am so proud of his initiative...but seriously, two hours of poster making with 5 year olds has worn me out! Good thing I missed them so much.

Now I get to spend the next week as a completely non-sewing Mama working on an Ethopian costume. K has requested something beaded...